Do you have a passion for food and nutrition?

Are you organized, reliable, and a good communicator?

Are you free on Thursdays from June through October?

If you meet these criteria and the ones below, we would love to consider you as a Market Manager. Email us with a cover letter and resume or with related questions.

Job Description

The Farmers Market Manager is responsible for weekly operations of the Market from the 1st Thursday of June through the end of October and the Harvest Market mid-November and Holiday Market mid-December. The Market Manager will be required to spend time with the Executive Director leading up to the summer, Harvest, and Holiday farmers markets. Summer Market responsibility is from approximately 11am to 6:30pm weekly.  Harvest Market responsibility is from approximately 9am to 4pm. Holiday Market responsibility is from approximately 8am to 4pm.

The ideal Market Manager would be reliable, as well as passionate about food and nutrition. The Market Manager is the “go-to” person for vendors and consumers during market hours, and is the Melrose Farmers’ Market representative on site. The job requires personal confidence and the ability to effectively communicate with a variety of people including customers, vendors, volunteers, neighbor businesses and the City. Successful Managers understand both the vendors’ and the consumers’ needs and, in conjunction with Market staff and board members, design and implement strategies to meet these needs. The Manager is required to be on-site at the market and available to vendors and consumers.

Key responsibilities

The Manager’s responsibilities include: 

• Arriving at setup time and layout the vendor locations

• Greeting and guiding vendors to their locations

• Orienting and assigning volunteers 

• Ensuring market participants follow market rules 

• Overseeing and assisting set-up and break down by volunteers

• Serving as 'point person' for issues and questions during market

• Filling in for market assignments as needed

• Gathering information from vendors 

• Collecting and recording market money from vendors

• Ensuring park is in good order and storage container is locked

• Collecting and storing specific market signs

• Creating and sharing weekly social media postings and newsletter 

• Supervising volunteers and SNAP/Market Coordinator

• Fostering community support for the market.

Job requirements

Applicants must be willing and able to: 

• Have cell phone and email contact on market day with vendors and volunteers

• Work outdoors in a variety of weather conditions

• Safely lift and carry up to 50 pounds

• Communicate effectively with a variety of people, including customers, vendors, volunteers, neighbor businesses, and the City of Melrose

• Ensure the farmers’ market vendors and volunteers know the market set up and follow the market rules

• Assist where needed 

• Field any complications, complaints, and solve problems as they may arise 

• Record weekly market data to be made available to the Executive Director